A Las Vegas woman has been arrested on suspicion of drugging a man and stealing his expensive watch after a night out at a Miami bar, and it appears this may not be an isolated incident. Rachel Marie Warner, 23, is facing multiple charges, including burglary with assault or battery, grand theft, and possession of a controlled substance following her alleged robbery of an $18,000 Rolex from a man she met at the East Hotel's rooftop bar in Brickell's neighborhood, according to an arrest report obtained by WSVN.
The incident took place on April 7, when Warner purportedly struck up a conversation with a man outside the valet area of the EAST Miami hotel. The two then proceeded to have drinks at the hotel's rooftop bar, Sugar. According to authorities, Warner is suspected to have made a drink for the man, who later reported he could not remember anything that happened post consuming the beverage and subsequently woke up alone, his Rolex missing alongside his inaccessible phone. Warner was captured by surveillance video quickly exiting the hotel at approximately 3:30 a.m. the following morning. Miami police believe this crime aligns with a particular brand of robbery known as "bad date" thefts, a modus operandi where individuals drug their targets to make off with valuable items.
During the arrest of Warner, detectives discovered two eye drop bottles filled with a white liquid, suspected to be a narcotic used to incapacitate unknowing victims. This substance is undergoing laboratory testing. Surveillance footage of the incident, which showed Warner leaving the hotel and also revealed a distinctive back tattoo, played a key role in confirming her identity. These details were corroborated by a report from Local10.
The arrest occurred during an undercover operation when authorities observed Warner attempting to fully engage another man under similar circumstances, indicating a potential repeat of the alleged crime. Warner was taken into custody before she could leave with a 61-year-old man, whom she had just met. When searched, officers found her in possession of eyedroppers containing a substance believed to be ketamine. "Had detectives not intervened during the undercover operation, Ms. Warner would have likely succeeded in perpetrating the same scheme against another unsuspecting victim, potentially leaving him drugged, robbed, or in grave danger," stated the detective's report shared by Local10.
Currently, Rachel Marie Warner is being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as her bond status remains "to be set." The City of Miami Police Department is actively urging the public for assistance on the matter. They advise anyone with information about similar incidents to come forward, offering contact avenues through the Miami Police Department's Burglary Unit at 305-603-6030 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477, as indicated in the Local10 report.
